English subtitles for clip: File:12-18-12- White House Press Briefing.webm
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,533 Mr. Carney: Okay. Welcome to the White House. 2 00:00:03,533 --> 00:00:05,166 I have no announcements. 3 00:00:05,166 --> 00:00:07,300 I am here to answer your questions. 4 00:00:07,300 --> 00:00:08,600 Mr. Feller. 5 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:09,000 The Press: Thanks, Jay. 6 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:10,266 A lot to cover on the fiscal cliff. 7 00:00:10,266 --> 00:00:13,734 I just want to focus on the tax rates portion. 8 00:00:13,734 --> 00:00:16,900 During the election, repeatedly, and then after the election in 9 00:00:16,900 --> 00:00:21,032 his first extended comments the President underscored again his 10 00:00:21,033 --> 00:00:23,867 central promise to the American people that tax rates have to go 11 00:00:23,867 --> 00:00:28,233 up on households making over $250,000. 12 00:00:28,233 --> 00:00:30,467 In the East Room he said, I'm not going to ask students and 13 00:00:30,467 --> 00:00:32,632 seniors and middle-class families to pay down the deficit 14 00:00:32,633 --> 00:00:36,300 while people like me making over $200,000 aren't asked to pay a 15 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:37,500 dime more in taxes. 16 00:00:37,500 --> 00:00:41,834 Now the White House proposal is in fact to let people making up 17 00:00:41,834 --> 00:00:45,867 to $400,000 go without a tax increase. 18 00:00:45,867 --> 00:00:49,433 How do you justify that broken promise? 19 00:00:49,433 --> 00:00:51,200 Mr. Carney: Well, I certainly wouldn't put it that way. 20 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,500 I would say that the President, demonstrating -- 21 00:00:54,500 --> 00:00:55,767 The Press: You wouldn't call it a broken promise? 22 00:00:55,767 --> 00:00:57,367 Mr. Carney: -- his desire -- no, I would not. 23 00:00:57,367 --> 00:01:01,766 I would say that the President, demonstrating his belief that a 24 00:01:01,767 --> 00:01:09,633 balanced, large deficit reduction package is a 25 00:01:09,633 --> 00:01:17,399 worthwhile goal, has shown evident willingness to meet 26 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:18,600 the Republicans halfway. 27 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,934 If you think about where he started, his initial proposal 28 00:01:21,934 --> 00:01:25,000 from his plan that he put forward to the so-called super 29 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:32,467 committee was to achieve a goal of $1.6 trillion in revenue. 30 00:01:32,467 --> 00:01:36,333 He has now come down to $1.2 trillion, as you know. 31 00:01:36,333 --> 00:01:40,867 The Republicans started at $800 trillion and have moved 32 00:01:40,867 --> 00:01:41,934 up to $1 trillion. 33 00:01:41,934 --> 00:01:44,265 The President has come halfway. 34 00:01:44,266 --> 00:01:47,633 He hopes that the Republicans will do the same. 35 00:01:47,633 --> 00:01:50,066 That is the essence of compromise, coming halfway. 36 00:01:50,066 --> 00:01:55,567 On revenue, the President has come more than halfway in an 37 00:01:55,567 --> 00:01:59,399 effort to try to reach an agreement with the Republicans 38 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,867 in the House and broadly in Congress because it's 39 00:02:02,867 --> 00:02:03,867 the right thing to do. 40 00:02:03,867 --> 00:02:11,900 But he will not accept a deal that, in order to protect some 41 00:02:11,900 --> 00:02:15,000 of the wealthiest Americans from having their taxes go up, shifts 42 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,367 the burden unduly onto seniors and the middle class. 43 00:02:19,367 --> 00:02:24,233 So the fact that he's willing to compromise and have rates go up 44 00:02:24,233 --> 00:02:27,367 on those making $400,000 and above, as opposed to $250,000 45 00:02:27,367 --> 00:02:31,799 and above, demonstrates his good-faith effort here to reach 46 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:36,600 a compromise and still have a package that is balanced and 47 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:42,000 asks the wealthiest to pay more, enacts significant spending 48 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:46,367 cuts, and puts us on a fiscally sustainable path. 49 00:02:46,367 --> 00:02:48,700 I mean, the alternative here, if you think about it and the 50 00:02:48,700 --> 00:02:51,299 so-called plan B makes no sense. 51 00:02:51,300 --> 00:02:55,967 There is an historic opportunity here to do something that has 52 00:02:55,967 --> 00:02:58,800 been set as a goal for a long time in Washington, which is 53 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,800 reach a bipartisan compromise on significant deficit reduction on 54 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,066 the order of $4 trillion when you take all the pieces of it 55 00:03:06,066 --> 00:03:08,333 and put them together. 56 00:03:08,333 --> 00:03:11,433 We are very close to being able to achieve that, and the 57 00:03:11,433 --> 00:03:15,100 President has demonstrated an obvious willingness to 58 00:03:15,100 --> 00:03:22,733 compromise and to move more than halfway towards the Republicans. 59 00:03:22,734 --> 00:03:28,467 To leave that offer on the table, including the trillion -- 60 00:03:28,467 --> 00:03:33,600 the $1.22 trillion in spending cuts that the President has put 61 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:38,600 forward because you don't want to ask someone making $950,000 62 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:44,066 a year to pay more in taxes would be a shame and it would 63 00:03:44,066 --> 00:03:45,066 be bad policy. 64 00:03:45,066 --> 00:03:50,567 So the President believes that the opportunity is there, the 65 00:03:50,567 --> 00:03:55,734 parameters of a deal are clear, the path to a compromise is 66 00:03:55,734 --> 00:03:59,900 clear, and he hopes that the Republicans will meet him on 67 00:03:59,900 --> 00:04:03,333 that path and do something that would be very good for the 68 00:04:03,333 --> 00:04:06,800 American people, for the middle class, and for our economy. 69 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:08,900 The Press: Jay, there's another alternative here, and we're hearing some of 70 00:04:08,900 --> 00:04:11,667 the members of the President's party say today, which is that 71 00:04:11,667 --> 00:04:15,100 for the entire campaign he talked about raising taxes 72 00:04:15,100 --> 00:04:17,100 on the top 2 percent. 73 00:04:17,100 --> 00:04:20,500 He said that was the central theme and it was adjudicated 74 00:04:20,500 --> 00:04:21,300 in the election. 75 00:04:21,300 --> 00:04:23,567 And you talked about it standing here yesterday, 76 00:04:23,567 --> 00:04:24,600 the top 2 percent. 77 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,300 If you go to $400,000, you're not the top 2 percent, 78 00:04:27,300 --> 00:04:28,900 you're not even the top 1 percent. 79 00:04:28,900 --> 00:04:29,834 It's less than that. 80 00:04:29,834 --> 00:04:32,567 So isn't the alternative for him to craft a deal in which 81 00:04:32,567 --> 00:04:34,934 he stands by his principle and sticks by his promise? 82 00:04:34,934 --> 00:04:39,233 Mr. Carney: The President does have -- did have a proposal that we have put 83 00:04:39,233 --> 00:04:42,133 forward that achieves that, and in an effort to meet the 84 00:04:42,133 --> 00:04:45,200 Republicans halfway he has put forward a proposal that still 85 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:49,900 asks the wealthiest Americans, those, in this case, making over 86 00:04:49,900 --> 00:04:53,166 $400,000, to pay more in income taxes. 87 00:04:53,166 --> 00:04:58,233 His overall proposal, by the way, includes other pieces, 88 00:04:58,233 --> 00:05:02,066 elements to it to achieve the revenue goal of $1.2 trillion, 89 00:05:02,066 --> 00:05:05,066 that includes asking the wealthiest to pay more 90 00:05:05,066 --> 00:05:07,299 through cap deductions and other reforms. 91 00:05:07,300 --> 00:05:12,467 But the point I'm making I think is consistent with your 92 00:05:12,467 --> 00:05:15,265 question, which is, yes, he has demonstrated a willingness to 93 00:05:15,266 --> 00:05:18,967 move towards the Republicans in order to achieve a deal, 94 00:05:18,967 --> 00:05:21,099 but do so in a way that maintains his principles. 95 00:05:21,100 --> 00:05:24,734 And the alternative, the fallback, so-called plan B 96 00:05:24,734 --> 00:05:30,332 that's been put out there achieves nothing like what 97 00:05:30,333 --> 00:05:34,033 a bigger deal would do and it would -- you would lose, 98 00:05:34,033 --> 00:05:41,300 by just cutting taxes -- by just extending current law for those 99 00:05:41,300 --> 00:05:44,700 making under a million dollars, you would lose hundreds of 100 00:05:44,700 --> 00:05:48,066 billions of dollars of revenue relative to the decoupling the 101 00:05:48,066 --> 00:05:49,900 President has proposed. 102 00:05:49,900 --> 00:05:52,133 And most of that money, or a significant portion of that 103 00:05:52,133 --> 00:05:57,000 money if not most, would go to millionaires, because everybody 104 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:01,734 gets -- when you extend tax cuts for those making under $250,000 105 00:06:01,734 --> 00:06:04,133 or those making under $400,000, everybody who makes more than 106 00:06:04,133 --> 00:06:06,767 that benefits from those tax cuts, right? 107 00:06:06,767 --> 00:06:10,266 If you only extend -- if you extend the tax cuts for 108 00:06:10,266 --> 00:06:12,333 everybody making up to a million dollars, that means everybody 109 00:06:12,333 --> 00:06:16,300 making more than that gets a significant tax cut on their 110 00:06:16,300 --> 00:06:17,567 first million dollars in earning. 111 00:06:17,567 --> 00:06:20,734 So millionaires, billionaires, everybody makes a lot of money 112 00:06:20,734 --> 00:06:21,734 out of this proposal. 113 00:06:21,734 --> 00:06:26,967 So the proposal essentially is to give another big tax cut to 114 00:06:26,967 --> 00:06:30,000 the wealthiest Americans at a time when we cannot afford it. 115 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,400 And that, as you saw in my statement, would not pass 116 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:34,633 the Senate. 117 00:06:34,633 --> 00:06:38,834 You saw Leader Pelosi say that Democrats would not vote for it. 118 00:06:38,834 --> 00:06:40,367 It's not a credible alternative. 119 00:06:40,367 --> 00:06:43,900 If we're not going to do a grand bargain, a bigger deal, the one 120 00:06:43,900 --> 00:06:48,467 that the President seeks, then there's an option to deal with 121 00:06:48,467 --> 00:06:51,066 the tax portion of this that has already passed the Senate that 122 00:06:51,066 --> 00:06:52,833 the House ought to take up. 123 00:06:52,834 --> 00:06:55,834 And he would certainly support that as he has said all along. 124 00:06:55,834 --> 00:06:57,900 The Press: Last one on this and I'll let somebody else have a 125 00:06:57,900 --> 00:06:59,133 run at this. 126 00:06:59,133 --> 00:07:02,200 You keep making it sound like the choice is between what the 127 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:06,700 President proposed and plan B that Speaker did, but I keep 128 00:07:06,700 --> 00:07:10,366 going back to what he said before he was elected and he 129 00:07:10,367 --> 00:07:13,500 called the central promise, which was never $250,000 130 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:16,000 until I win, and then we'll see what they offer and move 131 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:17,000 the number up. 132 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:17,900 It was $250,000 -- 133 00:07:17,900 --> 00:07:20,967 Mr. Carney: But, Ben, I don't -- if you're making the point that he has -- 134 00:07:20,967 --> 00:07:23,500 The Press: My point is, can't -- is it the President's view that he 135 00:07:23,500 --> 00:07:27,133 can't get a big deal unless he goes up? 136 00:07:27,133 --> 00:07:29,767 Mr. Carney: I think that's clear that the Republicans -- that this 137 00:07:29,767 --> 00:07:33,467 requires compromise, and that's why we have moved and reduced 138 00:07:33,467 --> 00:07:38,900 our revenue target and moved from $250,000 to $400,000. 139 00:07:38,900 --> 00:07:41,366 The point that the President had always made is that it is not 140 00:07:41,367 --> 00:07:43,867 his preferred option, but he knew that he would have to 141 00:07:43,867 --> 00:07:46,834 compromise in order to reach an agreement without sacrificing 142 00:07:46,834 --> 00:07:48,867 the principles that are clear, and that is that we have to 143 00:07:48,867 --> 00:07:49,867 have balance. 144 00:07:49,867 --> 00:07:54,734 It has to ask the wealthiest Americans to pay more so that 145 00:07:54,734 --> 00:08:00,299 the burden isn't unduly placed on seniors and students and 146 00:08:00,300 --> 00:08:04,567 families who have children with disabilities and others. 147 00:08:04,567 --> 00:08:07,500 And that's what his current proposal maintains 148 00:08:07,500 --> 00:08:08,500 are those principles. 149 00:08:08,500 --> 00:08:14,834 And all told, as you know, the proposal still, 150 00:08:14,834 --> 00:08:20,033 with its one-to-one -- within this proposal, one-to-one ration 151 00:08:20,033 --> 00:08:26,166 of revenues to spending cuts, achieves, combined with the $1.1 152 00:08:26,166 --> 00:08:30,332 trillion that he signed into law in discretionary spending cuts 153 00:08:30,333 --> 00:08:35,800 last year, close to $4 trillion in deficit reduction. 154 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:39,733 And if I could go back to the first point here -- Republicans 155 00:08:39,734 --> 00:08:43,834 say their goal is to reduce the deficit and to reduce spending. 156 00:08:43,833 --> 00:08:45,934 There is an opportunity on the table here to 157 00:08:45,934 --> 00:08:50,567 achieve $1.2 trillion in additional spending cuts. 158 00:08:53,066 --> 00:08:58,333 It seems like folly to walk away from that opportunity because 159 00:08:58,333 --> 00:09:02,766 you don't want to ask somebody making $995,000 a year to pay 160 00:09:02,767 --> 00:09:04,600 a dime more in income taxes. 161 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:06,066 It seems like terrible folly. 162 00:09:06,066 --> 00:09:08,967 And I don't think the American people would support that. 163 00:09:08,967 --> 00:09:10,766 Certainly the President doesn't believe that. 164 00:09:10,767 --> 00:09:13,767 Did you have something? 165 00:09:13,767 --> 00:09:14,433 The Press: I did. 166 00:09:14,433 --> 00:09:17,734 Mr. Carney: It seemed like all your questions had been answered. 167 00:09:17,734 --> 00:09:18,367 The Press: They haven't. 168 00:09:18,367 --> 00:09:19,165 Mr. Carney: Okay. 169 00:09:19,166 --> 00:09:22,700 The Press: My first question is, are negotiations still active? 170 00:09:22,700 --> 00:09:24,266 Mr. Carney: Lines of communication remain open. 171 00:09:24,266 --> 00:09:30,132 The President continues to hope that a compromise can be 172 00:09:30,133 --> 00:09:32,033 reached, as I said at the top. 173 00:09:32,033 --> 00:09:34,900 The parameters of a deal are clear. 174 00:09:34,900 --> 00:09:38,066 When you look at the offers, proposals and the 175 00:09:38,066 --> 00:09:43,400 counterproposals, a path to an agreement is clear. 176 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,333 And he hopes that the Republicans will join him on 177 00:09:45,333 --> 00:09:50,433 that path and achieve this -- take advantage of this 178 00:09:50,433 --> 00:09:55,834 opportunity and lock in a plan that would achieve significant 179 00:09:55,834 --> 00:09:59,500 deficit reduction, would protect the middle class, and would help 180 00:09:59,500 --> 00:10:00,967 our economy. 181 00:10:00,967 --> 00:10:05,934 So the answer is lines of communication remain open 182 00:10:05,934 --> 00:10:09,699 and we hope that this opportunity is not wasted. 183 00:10:09,700 --> 00:10:11,734 The Press: You used that phrase a lot last week. 184 00:10:11,734 --> 00:10:13,033 Mr. Carney: And it was always true. 185 00:10:13,033 --> 00:10:16,000 The Press: Right, but does that mean you're talking and negotiations -- 186 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:17,834 Mr. Carney: I don't have any specific conversations or meetings 187 00:10:17,834 --> 00:10:19,433 to read out to you. 188 00:10:19,433 --> 00:10:22,967 But as was the case in the past, it is the case today that lines 189 00:10:22,967 --> 00:10:25,333 of communication remain open and there is an opportunity here. 190 00:10:25,333 --> 00:10:29,500 And you've clearly seen the President put forward an offer 191 00:10:29,500 --> 00:10:32,834 that represents him moving halfway towards the Republicans 192 00:10:32,834 --> 00:10:35,967 on revenue and moving more than halfway to the Republicans on 193 00:10:35,967 --> 00:10:39,066 spending cuts as part of a balanced package that still 194 00:10:39,066 --> 00:10:40,967 adheres to his principles. 195 00:10:40,967 --> 00:10:43,567 And that's very important. 196 00:10:43,567 --> 00:10:46,333 And we hope that the Republicans understand that it would be a 197 00:10:46,333 --> 00:10:49,666 terrible waste to walk away from this opportunity. 198 00:10:49,667 --> 00:10:51,867 The Press: We've seen some, obviously, progress since yesterday's 199 00:10:51,867 --> 00:10:54,666 briefing; I'd just like to ask the question again: Has the 200 00:10:54,667 --> 00:10:59,066 shooting in Connecticut affected the tone at all, and has it 201 00:10:59,066 --> 00:11:02,600 affected the ability for both sides to negotiate? 202 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:07,500 Mr. Carney: These are excellent questions and there's been some good 203 00:11:07,500 --> 00:11:12,367 reporting on this, but it's obviously hard to know what the 204 00:11:12,367 --> 00:11:19,000 impact of an event like that is on the way that lawmakers 205 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:23,166 and others in Washington approach other issues. 206 00:11:23,166 --> 00:11:29,300 As the President said in Newtown, a tragedy as 207 00:11:29,300 --> 00:11:35,032 unfathomable, unimaginable as what happened in Newtown reminds 208 00:11:35,033 --> 00:11:36,900 us of what really matters. 209 00:11:36,900 --> 00:11:44,467 And he certainly believes that it is his responsibility -- and 210 00:11:44,467 --> 00:11:47,433 the responsibility of everyone here in Washington -- to work 211 00:11:47,433 --> 00:11:53,600 together to try to do important things for the American people 212 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:54,900 and the American economy. 213 00:11:54,900 --> 00:11:58,333 And that's on issues related to gun violence and it's on issues 214 00:11:58,333 --> 00:12:02,065 related to the economy and to people's livelihoods. 215 00:12:02,066 --> 00:12:07,967 So to the extent that an event like that, as tragic as it is, 216 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:14,100 brings us a little closer together both in the nation 217 00:12:14,100 --> 00:12:16,867 and in Washington, that would be a good thing. 218 00:12:16,867 --> 00:12:22,000 But it's hard to measure an impact like that. 219 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:24,266 The Press: Jay, as an Illinois state legislator, the President 220 00:12:24,266 --> 00:12:29,333 supported quite restrictive gun measures, but as President he's 221 00:12:29,333 --> 00:12:32,400 only signed into law legislation that allows guns in National 222 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,834 Parks and on Amtrak trains as checked luggage. 223 00:12:35,834 --> 00:12:40,632 Is he reassessing his more recent record on gun control? 224 00:12:40,633 --> 00:12:44,467 Mr. Carney: Well, the President's positions have been beyond what you cited 225 00:12:44,467 --> 00:12:47,699 -- I'm sure that was an oversight -- but including 226 00:12:47,700 --> 00:12:50,233 his support for reinstatement of the assault weapons ban, 227 00:12:50,233 --> 00:12:51,000 his support -- 228 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:52,100 The Press: But actions versus words -- 229 00:12:52,100 --> 00:12:56,734 Mr. Carney: -- his support for closing the so-called gun show loophole, 230 00:12:56,734 --> 00:13:02,467 which allows people to buy weapons without going through 231 00:13:02,467 --> 00:13:04,165 the background checks that are standard when you purchase 232 00:13:04,166 --> 00:13:04,734 from a retail -- 233 00:13:04,734 --> 00:13:05,967 The Press: But I'm talking about what was actually done -- 234 00:13:05,967 --> 00:13:07,600 Mr. Carney: Let me -- could I finish? 235 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:08,600 The Press: -- not just what he has said he supports. 236 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:09,367 Mr. Carney: Could I finish? 237 00:13:09,367 --> 00:13:10,065 Could I finish, Brianna? 238 00:13:10,066 --> 00:13:11,066 I appreciate it. Thanks. 239 00:13:11,066 --> 00:13:14,367 It's clear that as a nation we haven't done enough to address 240 00:13:14,367 --> 00:13:16,567 the scourge of gun violence in this country. 241 00:13:16,567 --> 00:13:21,000 It's a complex problem that requires more than one solution. 242 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:23,800 It calls for not only reexamining our gun laws 243 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:26,967 and how well we enforce them, but also for engaging mental 244 00:13:26,967 --> 00:13:28,766 health professionals, law enforcement officials, 245 00:13:28,767 --> 00:13:30,700 educators, parents and communities to 246 00:13:30,700 --> 00:13:32,600 find those solutions. 247 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:38,033 And while, as I said, there's no one answer to this problem, 248 00:13:38,033 --> 00:13:40,834 it is clear that we cannot once again retreat to our separate 249 00:13:40,834 --> 00:13:45,400 corners and to our stale talking points, because that inevitably 250 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:47,667 leads to an impasse. 251 00:13:47,667 --> 00:13:49,734 That's why, as I think you saw reported, the President 252 00:13:49,734 --> 00:13:52,734 yesterday afternoon had discussions with members 253 00:13:52,734 --> 00:13:56,233 of his Cabinet, members of his senior staff and 254 00:13:56,233 --> 00:14:01,065 the Vice President to begin looking for ways -- or at ways 255 00:14:01,066 --> 00:14:03,300 that the country can move forward and respond 256 00:14:03,300 --> 00:14:05,199 to the tragedy in Newtown. 257 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:06,967 And I think that if you look at the Cabinet members the 258 00:14:06,967 --> 00:14:09,467 President met with -- Secretary Duncan, Attorney General Holder 259 00:14:09,467 --> 00:14:12,600 and Secretary Sebelius -- they underscore -- their 260 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:14,734 participation underscores the comprehensive way in which the 261 00:14:14,734 --> 00:14:16,734 President views this problem. 262 00:14:17,834 --> 00:14:23,199 So he will, as he said in Newtown on Sunday night, two 263 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:28,533 nights ago, in coming weeks, engage with the American people; 264 00:14:28,533 --> 00:14:31,533 engage with lawmakers, with members of his administration, 265 00:14:31,533 --> 00:14:33,166 with mental health professionals, with law 266 00:14:33,166 --> 00:14:36,567 enforcement officials, with parents, communities, to try 267 00:14:36,567 --> 00:14:40,333 to find answers to this problem. 268 00:14:40,333 --> 00:14:46,033 And that includes his support for legislation that, 269 00:14:46,033 --> 00:14:48,934 like the assault weapons ban, that addresses issues 270 00:14:48,934 --> 00:14:51,934 of access to guns. 271 00:14:51,934 --> 00:14:56,065 It will include other issues that he thinks are part of 272 00:14:56,066 --> 00:14:57,533 the scourge of gun violence. 273 00:14:57,533 --> 00:15:01,467 The Press: But is he right now actively considering measures, be it gun 274 00:15:01,467 --> 00:15:04,333 laws or mental health measures -- right now? 275 00:15:04,333 --> 00:15:07,632 Mr. Carney: Well, he is actively supportive of, for example, Senator 276 00:15:07,633 --> 00:15:14,533 Feinstein's stated intent to revive a piece of legislation 277 00:15:14,533 --> 00:15:18,000 that would reinstate the assault weapons ban. 278 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:23,266 He supports, and would support, legislation that addresses the 279 00:15:23,266 --> 00:15:26,367 problem of the so-called gun show loophole. 280 00:15:26,367 --> 00:15:32,367 And there are other elements of gun law -- gun legislation that 281 00:15:32,367 --> 00:15:33,333 he could support. 282 00:15:33,333 --> 00:15:37,967 People have talked about high-capacity gun -- ammunition 283 00:15:37,967 --> 00:15:40,600 clips, for example, and that is something certainly that he 284 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:41,934 would be interested in looking at. 285 00:15:41,934 --> 00:15:43,934 My point is that it goes beyond that. 286 00:15:43,934 --> 00:15:48,400 He is heartened, I should mention, by what we have all 287 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:52,699 heard from some members of Congress who have been long-time 288 00:15:52,700 --> 00:15:57,800 opponents of gun control measures, common-sense 289 00:15:57,800 --> 00:15:59,400 gun control measures like the assault weapons 290 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:00,467 ban and the like. 291 00:16:00,467 --> 00:16:02,934 He, in fact, not long before I came out here was on the phone 292 00:16:02,934 --> 00:16:06,367 with Senator Manchin discussing just this issue. 293 00:16:06,367 --> 00:16:08,500 The Press: So this sounds like very much a shift from yesterday. 294 00:16:08,500 --> 00:16:10,667 I mean, there were really no specifics yesterday, 295 00:16:10,667 --> 00:16:14,000 and today you're talking about his support for Senator 296 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,100 Feinstein's reinstatement. 297 00:16:16,100 --> 00:16:17,200 You were -- 298 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:18,500 Mr. Carney: Brianna, I think I said yesterday that he supported -- 299 00:16:18,500 --> 00:16:22,300 The Press: Yesterday you were talking about his support for the ban, but you 300 00:16:22,300 --> 00:16:24,500 wouldn't actually say whether he would support Senator 301 00:16:24,500 --> 00:16:25,600 Feinstein's effort. 302 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,100 And today it sounds like you're saying that he will. 303 00:16:27,100 --> 00:16:30,967 Mr. Carney: Well, let me be clear that, again, we are less than 48 hours 304 00:16:30,967 --> 00:16:32,667 from the President's participation in the vigil. 305 00:16:32,667 --> 00:16:34,100 The Press: But he supports her legislation initiatives? 306 00:16:34,100 --> 00:16:37,033 Mr. Carney: And the President is moving forward, as he said he would, 307 00:16:37,033 --> 00:16:41,500 in having discussions here at the White House with members 308 00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:45,033 of his team, having discussions moments ago with Senator Manchin 309 00:16:45,033 --> 00:16:51,700 and others who have introduced important ideas about how we can 310 00:16:51,700 --> 00:16:58,934 move forward and whose decision to break from past positions and 311 00:16:58,934 --> 00:17:04,500 -- in how they look at this is heartening, and perhaps harbors 312 00:17:04,500 --> 00:17:07,666 an opportunity to move forward in a constructive way. 313 00:17:07,666 --> 00:17:10,666 But we are still early in a process. 314 00:17:10,666 --> 00:17:14,233 And I just want to be clear that, in addition to his support 315 00:17:14,233 --> 00:17:16,332 for a renewal of the assault weapons ban, which has long been 316 00:17:16,333 --> 00:17:19,734 stated and if it does take form in legislation that Senator 317 00:17:19,733 --> 00:17:22,800 Feinstein introduces, then that would obviously be something 318 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:24,966 that would win his support, but it goes beyond that. 319 00:17:24,967 --> 00:17:29,834 His view is that we need to address this in a way that, 320 00:17:29,834 --> 00:17:33,500 as I said yesterday, acknowledges that no 321 00:17:33,500 --> 00:17:38,166 single piece of legislation, no single restriction on access to 322 00:17:38,166 --> 00:17:43,200 a certain type of weapon will solve this problem and that we 323 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:44,633 need to address it more broadly. 324 00:17:44,633 --> 00:17:45,600 The Press: Sure, but why the change? 325 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:47,433 Because -- I mean, he hadn't even said "gun" 326 00:17:47,433 --> 00:17:48,900 in his public comments. 327 00:17:48,900 --> 00:17:51,600 And then you have, for instance, Republicans like 328 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,433 Steve LaTourette talking about a majority of Republicans -- 329 00:17:54,433 --> 00:17:56,800 this is what he told us today -- being open to 330 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:58,734 discussing gun control. 331 00:17:58,734 --> 00:18:01,600 Did the President feel like he was behind on this? 332 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:04,567 Mr. Carney: I think you're trying to turn this into, like, a political 333 00:18:04,567 --> 00:18:05,233 theater thing. 334 00:18:05,233 --> 00:18:06,633 That's not how the President views it. 335 00:18:06,633 --> 00:18:14,967 He went to Newtown in his role as President and met with family 336 00:18:14,967 --> 00:18:16,533 members of victims. 337 00:18:16,533 --> 00:18:21,734 He met with first responders and with others in that community, 338 00:18:21,734 --> 00:18:26,533 and then he spoke to that community, and tried to convey 339 00:18:26,533 --> 00:18:33,632 the grief and the pain that the American people are feeling and 340 00:18:33,633 --> 00:18:37,467 share with those who are suffering so deeply 341 00:18:37,467 --> 00:18:39,533 in Connecticut. 342 00:18:39,533 --> 00:18:46,500 And at that time he spoke about the fact that we cannot tolerate 343 00:18:46,500 --> 00:18:49,767 these kinds of tragedies and that we have to act, and it 344 00:18:49,767 --> 00:18:55,700 would be unforgivable not to try to take steps that address the 345 00:18:55,700 --> 00:19:02,266 problem, that address our fundamental responsibility to 346 00:19:02,266 --> 00:19:05,433 take care of our children in the first instance. 347 00:19:05,433 --> 00:19:11,200 And he is, as he said and true to his word, moving forward on 348 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:12,200 that process. 349 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:14,767 And the conversation he had -- the meeting he had yesterday, 350 00:19:14,767 --> 00:19:19,700 the conversation I just mentioned with the Senator 351 00:19:19,700 --> 00:19:22,000 from West Virginia and other conversations he will have going 352 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,767 forward will reflect the approach that he's taking. 353 00:19:24,767 --> 00:19:28,300 He does want to move. 354 00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:32,332 As he said on Sunday night, he wants to move in the coming 355 00:19:32,333 --> 00:19:37,266 weeks, which is a fairly short period of time. 356 00:19:37,266 --> 00:19:42,700 And while he supports, and strongly, renewal of the assault 357 00:19:42,700 --> 00:19:47,567 weapons ban, and strongly other measures, he wants to expand the 358 00:19:47,567 --> 00:19:52,200 conversation beyond those specific areas of legislation 359 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:56,900 to look at other ways we can address this problem. 360 00:19:56,900 --> 00:19:57,567 Let me move in the back. 361 00:19:57,567 --> 00:19:58,233 Sam. 362 00:19:58,233 --> 00:20:01,567 The Press: Yes, Jay, a lot of top Democrats on the Hill, 363 00:20:01,567 --> 00:20:04,066 and I think President Obama, spent the campaign season 364 00:20:04,066 --> 00:20:06,667 saying, let's not touch Social Security -- it doesn't add to 365 00:20:06,667 --> 00:20:10,132 the deficit; we can resolve this issue without going to 366 00:20:10,133 --> 00:20:11,934 that entitlement program. 367 00:20:11,934 --> 00:20:15,300 What is the President's message to those lawmakers who promised 368 00:20:15,300 --> 00:20:19,332 constituents that Social Security would not be touched 369 00:20:19,333 --> 00:20:21,867 after the President now has put chain CPI on the 370 00:20:21,867 --> 00:20:23,633 table for Republicans? 371 00:20:23,633 --> 00:20:26,433 Mr. Carney: Well, let's be clear about one thing: The President didn't put 372 00:20:26,433 --> 00:20:27,033 it on the table. 373 00:20:27,033 --> 00:20:29,800 This is something that Republicans want. 374 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:31,300 And it is -- 375 00:20:31,300 --> 00:20:33,466 The Press: But the Republicans -- 376 00:20:33,467 --> 00:20:35,867 Mr. Carney: -- part of his -- if I could please answer Sam's question, 377 00:20:35,867 --> 00:20:36,800 I'd appreciate it. 378 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:41,667 And the President did include it in his counterproposal, 379 00:20:41,667 --> 00:20:44,265 his counteroffer, as part of this process, as part of the 380 00:20:44,266 --> 00:20:45,800 negotiation process. 381 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:51,000 I would note that this is a technical change -- would be 382 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:57,066 if instated -- to the way that economists calculate inflation, 383 00:20:57,066 --> 00:21:04,533 and it would affect every program that has -- that uses 384 00:21:04,533 --> 00:21:07,233 the CPI in its calculations. 385 00:21:07,233 --> 00:21:10,033 And so it's not directed at one particular program; 386 00:21:10,033 --> 00:21:13,632 it would affect every program that uses CPI. 387 00:21:13,633 --> 00:21:17,166 There are also -- as part of the President's proposals, 388 00:21:17,166 --> 00:21:21,399 he would make sure that the most vulnerable were exempted 389 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:23,367 out from this change. 390 00:21:25,166 --> 00:21:27,767 But let's be clear, this is something that the Republicans 391 00:21:27,767 --> 00:21:32,266 have asked for, and as part of an effort to find common ground 392 00:21:32,266 --> 00:21:36,433 with the Republicans, the President has agreed to put 393 00:21:36,433 --> 00:21:42,500 this in his proposal -- agreed to have this as part of a broad 394 00:21:42,500 --> 00:21:46,333 deficit reduction package that includes asking the wealthiest 395 00:21:46,333 --> 00:21:49,166 to pay more so that we can achieve the kind of revenue 396 00:21:49,166 --> 00:21:52,066 targets that are necessary for a balanced approach to 397 00:21:52,066 --> 00:21:53,133 deficit reduction. 398 00:21:53,133 --> 00:21:55,433 The Press: Right, but there's a lot -- again, my question was there's 399 00:21:55,433 --> 00:21:56,967 a lot of people who voted for these lawmakers on a 400 00:21:56,967 --> 00:21:58,600 promise that -- 401 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,233 Mr. Carney: You heard the President say every time he talked 402 00:22:01,233 --> 00:22:01,834 about this -- 403 00:22:01,834 --> 00:22:02,667 The Press: Can I finish my question? 404 00:22:02,667 --> 00:22:03,800 Mr. Carney: Sure, yes. 405 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:07,700 The Press: A lot of people -- I'll let you answer -- a lot of people voted 406 00:22:07,700 --> 00:22:10,667 for these lawmakers for reelection not too long 407 00:22:10,667 --> 00:22:13,734 ago on a promise that Social Security wouldn't be touched, 408 00:22:13,734 --> 00:22:15,600 and if it was touched, it would be done separately from these 409 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,166 fiscal cliff negotiations. 410 00:22:18,166 --> 00:22:20,066 What do those people -- what are these people now supposed 411 00:22:20,066 --> 00:22:22,467 to believe about the promises that their lawmakers made, 412 00:22:22,467 --> 00:22:23,734 including the President? 413 00:22:23,734 --> 00:22:25,766 Mr. Carney: Let me again make clear two things. 414 00:22:25,767 --> 00:22:28,934 One, the President has always said as part of this process 415 00:22:28,934 --> 00:22:31,667 when we're talking about the spending cuts side of this that 416 00:22:31,667 --> 00:22:35,567 it would require tough choices by both sides. 417 00:22:35,567 --> 00:22:39,066 And that is certainly the case if you want to 418 00:22:39,066 --> 00:22:40,266 reach an agreement. 419 00:22:40,266 --> 00:22:43,600 Secondly, this is a technical adjustment that supporters of 420 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:49,567 it and economists -- outside economists say is meant to make 421 00:22:49,567 --> 00:22:53,066 the government's estimates of inflation more accurate. 422 00:22:53,066 --> 00:22:56,300 Thirdly, as part of the President's proposal, there 423 00:22:56,300 --> 00:23:02,667 is a clause that would protect vulnerable communities including 424 00:23:02,667 --> 00:23:06,300 the very elderly when it comes to Social Security recipients. 425 00:23:06,300 --> 00:23:10,734 So there's no question that it represents an effort to 426 00:23:10,734 --> 00:23:15,367 compromise, but it is also not -- this is a technical 427 00:23:15,367 --> 00:23:20,934 adjustment that economists believe is about getting the 428 00:23:20,934 --> 00:23:24,800 proper measure of inflation, and it is one sought by Republicans. 429 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:28,166 So, again, we're not going to get everything we want. 430 00:23:28,166 --> 00:23:30,567 We knew that the President's proposal that he put forward 431 00:23:30,567 --> 00:23:33,133 to the super committee that we put forward in the beginning of 432 00:23:33,133 --> 00:23:37,033 these negotiations would not pass unchanged. 433 00:23:37,033 --> 00:23:43,000 But I think your question demonstrates the absolute fact 434 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:49,633 that the President has shown enormous good faith in trying 435 00:23:49,633 --> 00:23:50,667 to reach a compromise here. 436 00:23:50,667 --> 00:23:55,100 And it would be shocking if Republicans passed up this 437 00:23:55,100 --> 00:23:58,632 opportunity for what they say they seek, which is significant 438 00:23:58,633 --> 00:24:05,834 deficit reduction, significant spending cuts, simply to protect 439 00:24:05,834 --> 00:24:08,834 those just shy of being millionaires from having 440 00:24:08,834 --> 00:24:12,066 to pay a dime extra in income taxes. 441 00:24:12,066 --> 00:24:12,700 Chuck. 442 00:24:12,700 --> 00:24:16,834 The Press: Do you acknowledge the Speaker's criticism of the counterproposal 443 00:24:16,834 --> 00:24:19,166 yesterday that it really isn't one to one -- 444 00:24:19,166 --> 00:24:20,033 Mr. Carney: I do not. 445 00:24:20,033 --> 00:24:25,632 The Press: -- because the saved interest payment is not a spending cut? 446 00:24:25,633 --> 00:24:31,166 Mr. Carney: Well, I find that an interesting charge because every budget 447 00:24:31,166 --> 00:24:36,100 proposal that's been made since we've been here includes 448 00:24:36,100 --> 00:24:40,934 interest payments as spending cuts when they're reduced. 449 00:24:40,934 --> 00:24:43,300 The Bowles-Simpson proposal included it. 450 00:24:43,300 --> 00:24:46,433 The Press: Well, nobody disputes that it's part of deficit reduction, but 451 00:24:46,433 --> 00:24:50,333 this idea of one to one on tax hikes to a spending cut -- 452 00:24:50,333 --> 00:24:55,000 Mr. Carney: Again, when they -- in the Budget Control Act and their 453 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:58,066 assertions that they wanted one to one, it was only achievable 454 00:24:58,066 --> 00:25:02,667 -- only achievable -- because they counted saved interest as 455 00:25:02,667 --> 00:25:03,699 spending cut. 456 00:25:03,700 --> 00:25:10,166 So a practice that they participated in regularly up 457 00:25:10,166 --> 00:25:13,800 until this moment to abandon now, to say that it doesn't 458 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:17,899 represent one-to-one spending cuts for revenue, is just -- 459 00:25:17,900 --> 00:25:22,200 doesn't pass the plausibility test. 460 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:26,567 The fact is that spending on interest payments is one of the 461 00:25:26,567 --> 00:25:30,266 big problems that we face when it comes to our budget deficits, 462 00:25:30,266 --> 00:25:34,333 and reducing those payments is a significant achievement when 463 00:25:34,333 --> 00:25:35,900 it comes to reducing spending. 464 00:25:35,900 --> 00:25:42,667 So including those reductions as part of the overall reductions 465 00:25:42,667 --> 00:25:47,699 in spending is in keeping with past practice by both 466 00:25:47,700 --> 00:25:49,700 Republicans and Democrats, including the Speaker of 467 00:25:49,700 --> 00:25:53,000 the House, including House Republican leadership, 468 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:58,000 past practice as represented in the Simpson-Bowles proposal 469 00:25:58,000 --> 00:25:59,400 and other proposals that have been out there. 470 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:05,000 So I do reject that charge that somehow that this is a novelty 471 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:08,467 that doesn't represent actual savings, because that has always 472 00:26:08,467 --> 00:26:11,033 been the practice, including by the Republicans who are 473 00:26:11,033 --> 00:26:12,734 now complaining about it. 474 00:26:12,734 --> 00:26:15,600 The Press: So at 10 o'clock this morning, 9 o'clock this morning, 475 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:18,033 the markets open; they all see the different proposals 476 00:26:18,033 --> 00:26:21,265 the President has given on the CPI and Social Security, 477 00:26:21,266 --> 00:26:23,433 Boehner's given on tax rates over a million dollars. 478 00:26:23,433 --> 00:26:26,233 And the public up on Wall Street and the business community sees 479 00:26:26,233 --> 00:26:28,667 -- oh, look, they're about to come to a deal. 480 00:26:28,667 --> 00:26:33,433 Boehner puts out his plan B, and you guys decide to publicly 481 00:26:33,433 --> 00:26:34,500 go after it. 482 00:26:34,500 --> 00:26:35,000 Why? 483 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:36,633 Why antagonize the situation? 484 00:26:36,633 --> 00:26:38,300 Mr. Carney: Well, what the Speaker -- 485 00:26:38,300 --> 00:26:38,966 The Press: I'm just curious. 486 00:26:38,967 --> 00:26:40,600 You guys -- on one hand, you don't want to negotiate through 487 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,166 the press; this clearly is a decision to negotiate through 488 00:26:43,166 --> 00:26:43,767 the press. 489 00:26:43,767 --> 00:26:49,433 Mr. Carney: No. The Speaker also made clear that he has not abandoned hope 490 00:26:49,433 --> 00:26:52,734 for a bigger deal, and that we see as a good thing. 491 00:26:52,734 --> 00:26:54,567 And we certainly have not either. 492 00:26:54,567 --> 00:26:58,500 And I think our objections to plan B is simply to point that 493 00:26:58,500 --> 00:27:04,700 it is such a far cry from what's possible here -- and not only 494 00:27:04,700 --> 00:27:07,100 that, it wouldn't pass the Senate, it wouldn't get any 495 00:27:07,100 --> 00:27:09,166 Democratic votes in the House, might not pass the House. 496 00:27:09,166 --> 00:27:13,200 The Press: But you seem to be intent on sending that message when that's 497 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:15,300 a way of antagonizing the situation, isn't it? 498 00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:16,966 Mr. Carney: Well, I'm certainly not trying to antagonize the -- 499 00:27:16,967 --> 00:27:18,233 The Press: Are you trying to disrupt talks? 500 00:27:18,233 --> 00:27:19,567 Make it harder? 501 00:27:19,567 --> 00:27:21,600 Mr. Carney: Absolutely not. Absolutely not. 502 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:24,899 I think that we would -- we, as I said at the beginning -- and 503 00:27:24,900 --> 00:27:30,800 let me make clear, that I'm -- the President hopes that Speaker 504 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:35,800 Boehner and others remain open to what is a clear path to 505 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:38,633 achieve a bipartisan compromise here. 506 00:27:38,633 --> 00:27:44,700 And in the details that have come out about the President's 507 00:27:44,700 --> 00:27:50,133 proposal, I think it is clear that he has demonstrated good 508 00:27:50,133 --> 00:27:52,633 faith and a willingness to meet Speaker Boehner and the 509 00:27:52,633 --> 00:27:57,734 Republicans halfway in an effort to achieve what would be a very 510 00:27:57,734 --> 00:28:02,033 significant agreement that would be of benefit both to the middle 511 00:28:02,033 --> 00:28:03,033 class and to the economy. 512 00:28:03,033 --> 00:28:03,699 The Press: -- move further. 513 00:28:03,700 --> 00:28:06,066 It was pretty clear from talking to some Democrats that that 514 00:28:06,066 --> 00:28:07,867 wasn't your final offer. 515 00:28:07,867 --> 00:28:13,934 Mr. Carney: Look, I think that a path to a legitimate, balanced compromise 516 00:28:13,934 --> 00:28:16,433 is clear. 517 00:28:16,433 --> 00:28:23,900 But the room for movement here is not large, because the 518 00:28:23,900 --> 00:28:26,900 President's principles are what they are and the President has 519 00:28:26,900 --> 00:28:32,200 already moved exactly halfway on revenue and more than halfway on 520 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:33,200 spending cuts. 521 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:37,133 So that is by definition what compromise is about -- I'll 522 00:28:37,133 --> 00:28:38,133 meet you halfway. 523 00:28:38,133 --> 00:28:39,133 The President is here. 524 00:28:39,133 --> 00:28:40,133 Republicans are here. 525 00:28:40,133 --> 00:28:42,433 The President has come halfway, maybe a little bit more. 526 00:28:42,433 --> 00:28:44,934 Republicans have come about this far. 527 00:28:44,934 --> 00:28:46,533 So we're close. 528 00:28:46,533 --> 00:28:49,233 The President has demonstrated his reasonableness. 529 00:28:49,233 --> 00:28:55,133 And his principles here are ones that are broadly supported by 530 00:28:55,133 --> 00:28:56,400 the American public. 531 00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:57,934 So he hopes that we can get this deal. 532 00:28:57,934 --> 00:29:04,033 My point about plan B is that it's not a great alternative. 533 00:29:04,033 --> 00:29:05,065 It's not a great fallback. 534 00:29:05,066 --> 00:29:06,800 The Press: Your plan B? 535 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:07,767 Do you think your plan is a good alternative? 536 00:29:07,767 --> 00:29:09,000 Mr. Carney: We would prefer a bigger -- 537 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:12,066 The Press: -- good alternative, your plan B, the $250,000 -- 538 00:29:12,066 --> 00:29:13,967 Mr. Carney: One, it's already passed the Senate. 539 00:29:13,967 --> 00:29:15,500 So if we -- 540 00:29:15,500 --> 00:29:17,133 The Press: Why are you so sure the other one doesn't pass the Senate? 541 00:29:17,133 --> 00:29:19,266 Has Harry Reid assured you he just won't put it on the floor? 542 00:29:19,266 --> 00:29:21,266 Mr. Carney: I think Senator Reid has said that it wouldn't 543 00:29:21,266 --> 00:29:21,967 pass the Senate. 544 00:29:21,967 --> 00:29:24,533 The point is -- 545 00:29:24,533 --> 00:29:25,600 The Press: Would he put the -- 546 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:29,132 Mr. Carney: Again, you should speak with Senator Reid about Senate 547 00:29:29,133 --> 00:29:31,066 procedure and upcoming actions. 548 00:29:31,066 --> 00:29:34,967 But the point is neither of these options is preferable 549 00:29:34,967 --> 00:29:38,200 to a balanced, broad deficit reduction package, which would 550 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:40,333 be healthy, good for the economy, good for the American 551 00:29:40,333 --> 00:29:43,734 people, would protect the middle class as we move forward. 552 00:29:43,734 --> 00:29:48,233 The President has said now for months that at the very least 553 00:29:48,233 --> 00:29:52,667 the House ought to follow the Senate's action and pass tax 554 00:29:52,667 --> 00:29:54,567 cuts for 98 percent of the American people. 555 00:29:54,567 --> 00:29:55,567 That bill is there. 556 00:29:55,567 --> 00:29:57,467 It could be passed tomorrow. 557 00:29:57,467 --> 00:29:59,633 We have always sought more than that. 558 00:29:59,633 --> 00:30:02,967 We have always sought the opportunity to achieve 559 00:30:02,967 --> 00:30:04,934 significant deficit reduction, because it's good for the 560 00:30:04,934 --> 00:30:07,966 economy if it's done well and right, and in a way that's fair 561 00:30:07,967 --> 00:30:09,066 and balanced. 562 00:30:09,066 --> 00:30:10,000 Let me move around. 563 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:11,266 Yes, Leslie. 564 00:30:11,266 --> 00:30:14,600 The Press: Jay, can you comment at all on the Pentagon? 565 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:18,533 Investigators have concluded that a senior defense official 566 00:30:18,533 --> 00:30:25,199 has leaked restricted information to the makers 567 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:28,133 of the bin Laden film. 568 00:30:28,133 --> 00:30:30,433 Peter King's office is out and says they're quite 569 00:30:30,433 --> 00:30:32,000 troubled by it. 570 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:34,400 Mr. Carney: I have seen those reports, but I can only refer you 571 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:35,333 to the Pentagon. 572 00:30:35,333 --> 00:30:37,767 I don't have anything on it from here. 573 00:30:37,767 --> 00:30:40,300 The Press: But the fact that it went beyond and into a criminal 574 00:30:40,300 --> 00:30:44,332 investigation seems to suggest that it's a little bit worse 575 00:30:44,333 --> 00:30:45,934 than you had led us to believe. 576 00:30:45,934 --> 00:30:49,367 I think King's office said that it's an indication that our 577 00:30:49,367 --> 00:30:51,867 security was placed at risk by people who wanted to help 578 00:30:51,867 --> 00:30:53,233 Hollywood make a movie. 579 00:30:53,233 --> 00:30:56,533 Mr. Carney: Well, first of all, I think that that's not -- your memory of the 580 00:30:56,533 --> 00:30:59,300 discussions that we had from here had to do with charges 581 00:30:59,300 --> 00:31:02,200 by that Congressman and others about White House -- what the 582 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:05,767 White House's role in informing people who are doing stories on 583 00:31:05,767 --> 00:31:08,266 or other things on the bin Laden raid was. 584 00:31:08,266 --> 00:31:10,734 Again, on this particular matter, I would refer you 585 00:31:10,734 --> 00:31:11,367 to the Pentagon. 586 00:31:11,367 --> 00:31:12,834 I just don't have anything for you on it. 587 00:31:12,834 --> 00:31:13,700 Ed. 588 00:31:13,700 --> 00:31:16,500 The Press: If Speaker Boehner's idea of just taxing people making a 589 00:31:16,500 --> 00:31:19,734 million dollars or more is so bad and unbalanced, why did the 590 00:31:19,734 --> 00:31:23,833 President propose that in September of 2011 -- he had 591 00:31:23,834 --> 00:31:26,266 the millionaire's tax, when he came out in the Rose Garden? 592 00:31:26,266 --> 00:31:28,767 Mr. Carney: First of all, that's an entirely different proposal. 593 00:31:28,767 --> 00:31:35,033 The President has always supported expiration of the 594 00:31:35,033 --> 00:31:39,033 Bush-era tax cuts for those making more than $250,000. 595 00:31:39,033 --> 00:31:43,000 That is a position he has held since the time he took office. 596 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:48,100 There have been other proposals including the so-called Buffett 597 00:31:48,100 --> 00:31:52,500 Rule that would address the problem of millionaires and 598 00:31:52,500 --> 00:31:55,667 billionaires not paying, for example -- and this goes to 599 00:31:55,667 --> 00:31:59,533 other -- this goes beyond issues of income tax, because one of 600 00:31:59,533 --> 00:32:02,766 the reasons why the Buffett Rule, for example, was something 601 00:32:02,767 --> 00:32:04,967 the President supports -- supported and supports -- 602 00:32:04,967 --> 00:32:08,000 is because we have the issue of carried interests, which enables 603 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:11,667 billionaires to pay a lower tax rate if they're hedge fund 604 00:32:11,667 --> 00:32:16,000 managers or private equity investors, to pay at a much 605 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:18,900 lower rate than probably you and I pay. 606 00:32:18,900 --> 00:32:21,333 The Press: The New York Times at the time said, "his idea" -- 607 00:32:21,333 --> 00:32:23,834 the President's idea -- "of a millionaire's minimum tax would 608 00:32:23,834 --> 00:32:26,333 be prominent in the broad plan for long-term deficit reduction 609 00:32:26,333 --> 00:32:27,567 that he will outline at the White House." 610 00:32:27,567 --> 00:32:30,166 So the President thought that a millionaire's tax was -- 611 00:32:30,166 --> 00:32:32,200 Mr. Carney: You're really confusing policies here. 612 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:35,734 The fact that you support a minimum tax for millionaires 613 00:32:35,734 --> 00:32:40,699 tax rate does not alter the fact that you also support returning 614 00:32:40,700 --> 00:32:44,500 tax rates for those making under a million dollars to what they 615 00:32:44,500 --> 00:32:47,100 were prior to the Bush-era tax cuts. 616 00:32:47,100 --> 00:32:48,966 I think that has been established many times. 617 00:32:48,967 --> 00:32:51,300 The Press: Senator Schumer brought that up for a vote in 2010 -- 618 00:32:51,300 --> 00:32:54,399 Mr. Carney: It was actually a different -- you really need to check your -- 619 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:55,700 The Press: There's a lot of different versions of it -- 620 00:32:55,700 --> 00:32:56,300 Mr. Carney: Well, no, but -- 621 00:32:56,300 --> 00:32:57,966 The Press: It was a million-dollar threshold is the point. 622 00:32:57,967 --> 00:32:59,233 Mr. Carney: On the tax rates. 623 00:32:59,233 --> 00:33:02,867 Again, you're confusing a lot of different tax proposals. 624 00:33:02,867 --> 00:33:12,066 And our position then is what it is now, which is that we support 625 00:33:12,066 --> 00:33:16,433 expiration of the tax cuts for the top 2 percent. 626 00:33:16,433 --> 00:33:20,367 In his proposal for a bigger package with the Republicans, 627 00:33:20,367 --> 00:33:22,700 he has agreed to move that threshold from 628 00:33:22,700 --> 00:33:24,767 $250,000 to $400,000. 629 00:33:24,767 --> 00:33:27,767 What we do know, instead of talking about things that got 630 00:33:27,767 --> 00:33:30,300 votes two years ago in the Senate, is that two months 631 00:33:30,300 --> 00:33:34,200 ago the Senate passed a bill that extends tax cuts for 98 632 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:37,166 percent of the American people -- tax cuts that everyone in 633 00:33:37,166 --> 00:33:39,700 Washington, Republicans and Democrats alike say they 634 00:33:39,700 --> 00:33:44,433 support, and that the House, if it fails to do anything else, 635 00:33:44,433 --> 00:33:48,767 has the opportunity to pass that legislation to ensure that most 636 00:33:48,767 --> 00:33:53,433 Americans out there don't have their taxes go up next year. 637 00:33:53,433 --> 00:33:56,633 The only thing preventing them from that when you look at the 638 00:33:56,633 --> 00:34:00,166 proposals here is their insistence thus far on 639 00:34:00,166 --> 00:34:03,567 the idea that people making $995,000 should not have their 640 00:34:03,567 --> 00:34:04,734 income tax rates go up. 641 00:34:04,734 --> 00:34:06,199 The Press: Quick question on another subject. 642 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:08,833 There's this 27-year-old former Marine who, as you know, is in a 643 00:34:08,833 --> 00:34:09,833 Mexican prison. 644 00:34:09,833 --> 00:34:11,533 His family is urging the administration to 645 00:34:11,533 --> 00:34:12,366 do something about it. 646 00:34:12,367 --> 00:34:15,333 We don't know all the facts of the case and what he did, what 647 00:34:15,333 --> 00:34:17,700 he didn't do, but his family is asking the White House to 648 00:34:17,699 --> 00:34:18,699 look into it. 649 00:34:18,699 --> 00:34:21,433 Is there anything going on to ascertain the facts to see 650 00:34:21,433 --> 00:34:22,433 whether he's innocent or not? 651 00:34:22,433 --> 00:34:25,400 Because again we don't know what really happened. 652 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:27,734 Mr. Carney: Well, I'll have to take the question because I don't know 653 00:34:27,734 --> 00:34:29,900 the facts myself on that, so I'll have to take the question. 654 00:34:29,900 --> 00:34:30,934 Jake. 655 00:34:30,934 --> 00:34:36,233 The Press: The President's close friend and advisor, David Axelrod, 656 00:34:36,233 --> 00:34:39,767 on Sunday evening, after watching the President's 657 00:34:39,766 --> 00:34:44,866 speech was watching a football game, and an ad came on for a 658 00:34:44,867 --> 00:34:48,333 violent video game, and he tweeted, shouldn't we 659 00:34:48,333 --> 00:34:52,967 quit -- he tweeted an expression of support for banning certain 660 00:34:52,967 --> 00:34:55,333 kinds of weapons or regulating certain kinds of weapons, 661 00:34:55,333 --> 00:34:59,033 but then he said shouldn't we also quit marketing murder as a game. 662 00:34:59,033 --> 00:35:04,200 And this touches on the cultural aspect that you seem to be 663 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:07,265 alluding to also being part of the solution. 664 00:35:07,266 --> 00:35:11,066 And I'm wondering if the President has any views on it, 665 00:35:11,066 --> 00:35:13,399 because we haven't really heard him talk that much about these 666 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:18,900 cultural issues in his time as President. 667 00:35:18,900 --> 00:35:22,467 Mr. Carney: Well, I was asked about this -- well, I have seen reports on it, 668 00:35:22,467 --> 00:35:28,567 and I don't have any proposals to tell you that the President 669 00:35:28,567 --> 00:35:32,967 thinks or we think should be moved on. 670 00:35:32,967 --> 00:35:38,166 I think that there are cultural issues -- and every expert on 671 00:35:38,166 --> 00:35:40,200 this issue would, I think, agree with that -- that there 672 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:43,866 are cultural issues that contribute to the broader 673 00:35:43,867 --> 00:35:46,100 problem with gun violence. 674 00:35:46,100 --> 00:35:48,000 One of the reasons why the President wants to expand the 675 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:53,867 net beyond considerations of gun laws is because he recognizes 676 00:35:53,867 --> 00:35:59,333 that and agrees with it that we need to look broadly at all of 677 00:35:59,333 --> 00:36:02,600 the potential contributors to the scourge of gun violence in 678 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:04,799 this country. 679 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:07,800 So on that particular area of inquiry, I don't have a specific 680 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:14,200 proposal to tell you about, or even that there will be one. 681 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:16,600 But it's certainly -- he wants to have these conversations with 682 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:18,900 people who have worked on this issue and people who are 683 00:36:18,900 --> 00:36:23,667 affected by it to explore all the possibilities, to move 684 00:36:23,667 --> 00:36:27,900 forward with a broad approach that addresses gun violence, 685 00:36:27,900 --> 00:36:33,233 that includes sensible legislation to deal with things 686 00:36:33,233 --> 00:36:37,166 like assault weapons and gun show loopholes, magazine 687 00:36:37,166 --> 00:36:40,867 capacity, potentially, as well as other issues -- mental health 688 00:36:40,867 --> 00:36:43,700 issues, education issues, and perhaps cultural issues. 689 00:36:43,700 --> 00:36:46,866 The Press: Speaking of mental health issues, the National Alliance 690 00:36:46,867 --> 00:36:49,734 for Mental Illness -- or of Mental Illness reports that 691 00:36:49,734 --> 00:36:54,100 during the recession states trimming their budgets cut 692 00:36:54,100 --> 00:36:56,667 almost $2 billion from mental health services. 693 00:36:56,667 --> 00:37:00,633 This seems to be an area where the President could 694 00:37:00,633 --> 00:37:04,700 take immediate action, working with Congress to help fill the 695 00:37:04,700 --> 00:37:08,533 gap of the -- for those states. 696 00:37:08,533 --> 00:37:10,767 Has the President -- is he aware of this statistic? 697 00:37:10,767 --> 00:37:12,799 Mr. Carney: I'm not sure if he's aware of this statistic. 698 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:15,767 The issue of mental health is something that both the 699 00:37:15,767 --> 00:37:19,500 President and others in this administration who have broadly 700 00:37:19,500 --> 00:37:22,667 addressed health care issues, including Secretary Sibelius, 701 00:37:22,667 --> 00:37:23,967 believes is very important. 702 00:37:23,967 --> 00:37:27,000 And that is why the Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, contains 703 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:32,166 within it assurances that those who will gain coverage that they 704 00:37:32,166 --> 00:37:34,233 have not had in the past will gain medical health services, 705 00:37:34,233 --> 00:37:41,900 including a set of services that will be available without copays 706 00:37:41,900 --> 00:37:42,900 or deductibles. 707 00:37:42,900 --> 00:37:46,767 Because mental health issues are health issues, and the President 708 00:37:46,767 --> 00:37:47,799 believes that firmly. 709 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:52,734 Again, in terms of potential areas that could be addressed 710 00:37:52,734 --> 00:37:55,799 through action at the federal level or at the state level, 711 00:37:55,800 --> 00:38:02,834 he wants to hear about proposals that might help 712 00:38:02,834 --> 00:38:04,600 address this problem. 713 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:09,767 It is, as he said, an issue that the mental health aspect of this 714 00:38:09,767 --> 00:38:11,299 is an important aspect. 715 00:38:11,300 --> 00:38:13,867 The Press: According to the book by Daniel Klaidman, from Newsweek, 716 00:38:13,867 --> 00:38:16,367 the Daily Beast, about the Obama administration, 717 00:38:16,367 --> 00:38:18,567 in the first year of the Obama administration, Attorney General 718 00:38:18,567 --> 00:38:22,767 Holder was going to take action regulating guns, 719 00:38:22,767 --> 00:38:25,366 and the President's Chief of Staff told him to shut up -- 720 00:38:25,367 --> 00:38:29,333 he actually added a couple of words in there -- about guns. 721 00:38:29,333 --> 00:38:31,900 The issue being the fact that there were a number of Democrats 722 00:38:31,900 --> 00:38:35,600 in vulnerable districts where gun rights were popular that 723 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:39,366 would -- politically it was not wise. 724 00:38:39,367 --> 00:38:40,800 Does the President know about this? 725 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:43,166 Does the President regret that that took place? 726 00:38:43,166 --> 00:38:49,300 Has Attorney General Holder been told since Aurora or Fort Hood 727 00:38:49,300 --> 00:38:54,200 or Sikh Temple or Newtown or any of the other many, many 728 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:56,799 shootings that have taken place while Mr. Obama has been 729 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:00,734 President, has Mr. Holder been told to resume what he was 730 00:39:00,734 --> 00:39:02,533 planning on doing before the White House Chief of Staff 731 00:39:02,533 --> 00:39:03,467 told him to stop? 732 00:39:03,467 --> 00:39:05,467 Mr. Carney: Well, that's an anecdote that I'm not familiar with. 733 00:39:05,467 --> 00:39:06,300 The Press: It was reported -- 734 00:39:06,300 --> 00:39:07,900 Mr. Carney: -- I know the author. 735 00:39:07,900 --> 00:39:10,533 I confess from the podium that I didn't read his book. 736 00:39:10,533 --> 00:39:11,567 But the -- 737 00:39:11,567 --> 00:39:14,000 The Press: Does that mean it didn't happen? 738 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:17,834 Mr. Carney: I don't know, so I certainly haven't had a discussion with 739 00:39:17,834 --> 00:39:19,000 the President about it. 740 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:21,533 I can tell you that the President believes, as he, 741 00:39:21,533 --> 00:39:24,467 I think, made very clear on Sunday night, and as I 742 00:39:24,467 --> 00:39:27,200 reiterated both yesterday and today, that we have not done 743 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:30,133 enough as a country to address this problem and we need to do 744 00:39:30,133 --> 00:39:37,466 more, and that what happened in Newtown hopefully will catalyze 745 00:39:37,467 --> 00:39:39,200 the process of doing more. 746 00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:44,366 And he will use the power of his office to move that along. 747 00:39:47,100 --> 00:39:50,266 And that has begun already with the conversations he's had here 748 00:39:50,266 --> 00:39:53,633 internally with -- a conversation that he had today 749 00:39:53,633 --> 00:39:57,966 with one senator, I'm sure he'll have with other lawmakers. 750 00:39:57,967 --> 00:40:03,867 And as I think we've heard from a number of people both 751 00:40:03,867 --> 00:40:09,433 in Washington and elsewhere, the enormity of what happened 752 00:40:09,433 --> 00:40:14,767 on Friday I think has caused everyone -- or many people to 753 00:40:14,767 --> 00:40:19,000 reassess where we are when it comes to the ways that 754 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:22,066 we address this problem, and hopefully that that reassessment 755 00:40:22,066 --> 00:40:24,133 will lead to action. 756 00:40:24,133 --> 00:40:28,466 The Press: But, Jay, why are these conversations not taking 757 00:40:28,467 --> 00:40:29,934 place on a national level? 758 00:40:29,934 --> 00:40:30,800 Why are -- 759 00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:32,433 Mr. Carney: Jake, can I just remind you that the shooting happened 760 00:40:32,433 --> 00:40:33,800 four days ago. 761 00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:34,633 The Press: This one did, Jay. 762 00:40:34,633 --> 00:40:36,165 But there have been a lot that have taken place over 763 00:40:36,166 --> 00:40:37,100 the last four years. 764 00:40:37,100 --> 00:40:40,100 It's not as though gun violence became a problem on Friday. 765 00:40:40,100 --> 00:40:42,232 Mr. Carney: I completely agree with that. 766 00:40:42,233 --> 00:40:43,000 And I can only -- 767 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:45,066 The Press: But it's as though you're completely oblivious to 768 00:40:45,066 --> 00:40:46,734 the fact that there have been shootings for years. 769 00:40:46,734 --> 00:40:47,232 Mr. Carney: That's not true. 770 00:40:47,233 --> 00:40:51,567 I mean, the President -- it is a fact that we have taken action 771 00:40:51,567 --> 00:40:54,333 -- and the Department of Justice can fill you in on this -- to 772 00:40:54,333 --> 00:40:55,467 enhance background checks. 773 00:40:55,467 --> 00:40:58,133 And background checks -- when we talk about the fundamental issue 774 00:40:58,133 --> 00:41:03,000 of making sure that those who should not have weapons do not 775 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:06,600 acquire them or cannot acquire them, enhancing our background 776 00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:11,000 check system is an important step that addresses specifically 777 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:12,100 the problem. 778 00:41:12,100 --> 00:41:15,767 So it is the case that we have taken action in this President's 779 00:41:15,767 --> 00:41:16,767 first term. 780 00:41:16,767 --> 00:41:18,966 And he made clear on Sunday evening that he believes we 781 00:41:18,967 --> 00:41:20,567 need to take more action. 782 00:41:20,567 --> 00:41:25,300 And he looks forward to working with Congress and working with 783 00:41:25,300 --> 00:41:28,433 communities beyond Washington to help bring that about. 784 00:41:28,433 --> 00:41:29,433 Peter. 785 00:41:29,433 --> 00:41:32,967 The Press: Jay, the President said and you've repeated that the nation 786 00:41:32,967 --> 00:41:34,066 has not done enough. 787 00:41:34,066 --> 00:41:37,299 It sounds like what -- previous Presidents used the formulation 788 00:41:37,300 --> 00:41:39,300 "mistakes were made," sort of a passive construction. 789 00:41:39,300 --> 00:41:43,166 Is he saying that he thinks that he has not done enough 790 00:41:43,166 --> 00:41:45,100 as President, personally? 791 00:41:45,100 --> 00:41:49,667 Mr. Carney: Well, I think he made clear on Sunday that we as a nation, and 792 00:41:49,667 --> 00:41:53,200 he as a member and leader of this nation need to do more; 793 00:41:53,200 --> 00:41:58,933 that we cannot tolerate these kinds of tragic incidents. 794 00:41:58,934 --> 00:42:06,133 And he committed himself in the coming weeks to taking steps 795 00:42:06,133 --> 00:42:11,433 that use the power of his office to help try to bring about 796 00:42:11,433 --> 00:42:15,033 changes that will address this problem, recognizing the 797 00:42:15,033 --> 00:42:19,066 complexity of the problem and the obstacles to potential 798 00:42:19,066 --> 00:42:20,899 solutions to the problem. 799 00:42:20,900 --> 00:42:23,000 He also said -- and it's important to remember that he 800 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:31,500 said this -- if whatever action we take saves one child's life, 801 00:42:31,500 --> 00:42:35,667 we should take it, because what would we say to ourselves 802 00:42:35,667 --> 00:42:36,667 if we haven't. 803 00:42:36,667 --> 00:42:38,799 And then I think that recognizes, again, that 804 00:42:38,800 --> 00:42:43,133 this is a problem that cannot be solved by a single action or 805 00:42:43,133 --> 00:42:45,200 necessarily even a series of actions, but it should be and 806 00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:46,466 can be addressed. 807 00:42:46,467 --> 00:42:50,133 The Press: Big part of the question is, does he regret -- it's one 808 00:42:50,133 --> 00:42:52,265 thing to regret that Congress hasn't done what he thinks they 809 00:42:52,266 --> 00:42:53,800 ought to do. 810 00:42:53,800 --> 00:42:55,600 But does he regret that he hasn't done something that he 811 00:42:55,600 --> 00:42:59,299 wishes now, in light of Friday, that he had done prior to that? 812 00:42:59,300 --> 00:43:02,700 Mr. Carney: I haven't heard him say it in terms other than the way he said 813 00:43:02,700 --> 00:43:03,933 it on Sunday night. 814 00:43:03,934 --> 00:43:11,800 And I think you heard from him in a very passionate way what 815 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:17,734 his reaction is to Newtown, and his reaction to Newtown as part 816 00:43:17,734 --> 00:43:23,165 of a series of events and incidents like it that have 817 00:43:23,166 --> 00:43:27,867 occurred since he's been President, and that on too many 818 00:43:27,867 --> 00:43:31,133 occasions he has been in the situation that he was in in 819 00:43:31,133 --> 00:43:35,933 Newtown of consoling family members who have lost innocent 820 00:43:35,934 --> 00:43:37,633 loved ones in events like this. 821 00:43:37,633 --> 00:43:43,533 So I think he spoke very passionately about his views 822 00:43:43,533 --> 00:43:45,767 on this and the fact that we need to take action. 823 00:43:45,767 --> 00:43:47,767 The Press: And one quick question. 824 00:43:47,767 --> 00:43:50,933 If this compromise were to go forward that the President's 825 00:43:50,934 --> 00:43:54,734 proposed, the $400,000 be the cutoff -- would that be it? 826 00:43:54,734 --> 00:43:57,567 Or would the President still, at some point at a later date as 827 00:43:57,567 --> 00:44:00,633 part of some future negotiations and future legislative 828 00:44:00,633 --> 00:44:03,033 initiative, try again at $250,000? 829 00:44:03,033 --> 00:44:06,799 Is this the end of it from his perspective, or just one -- 830 00:44:06,800 --> 00:44:10,500 Mr. Carney: Well, he seeks, as part of this process, to make permanent tax 831 00:44:10,500 --> 00:44:14,867 cuts for those making below the threshold. 832 00:44:14,867 --> 00:44:19,900 It is also in his proposal to fast-track processes for 833 00:44:19,900 --> 00:44:22,734 both corporate and individual tax reform. 834 00:44:22,734 --> 00:44:26,767 But the revenue achieved through a potential compromise here, 835 00:44:26,767 --> 00:44:30,933 at least the one that he put forward, would be locked in, 836 00:44:30,934 --> 00:44:35,433 and then the reform would be essentially revenue-neutral. 837 00:44:35,433 --> 00:44:38,734 How that plays out in terms of tax rates would obviously be up 838 00:44:38,734 --> 00:44:42,033 to those who negotiate it and worked on the tax reform in that 839 00:44:42,033 --> 00:44:45,266 fast track process, both on the Hill and working with 840 00:44:45,266 --> 00:44:46,567 administration officials. 841 00:44:46,567 --> 00:44:48,900 The Press: So he's not closing off the possibility of raising rates 842 00:44:48,900 --> 00:44:50,033 at some later date -- 843 00:44:50,033 --> 00:44:55,734 Mr. Carney: Well, again, he's not -- his proposal here is to achieve 844 00:44:55,734 --> 00:44:59,433 the revenue that would be gained from extending tax 845 00:44:59,433 --> 00:45:03,767 cuts permanently for those making under $400,000, 846 00:45:03,767 --> 00:45:06,633 allowing rates to rise to their Clinton-era levels 847 00:45:06,633 --> 00:45:08,567 for those making above $400,000. 848 00:45:08,567 --> 00:45:12,400 There are a series of other pieces of his revenue proposal 849 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:14,967 that deal with some reform measures, like capping 850 00:45:14,967 --> 00:45:20,000 deductions and other issues, and then there would be a separate 851 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:23,066 or additional tax reform process that is something that both 852 00:45:23,066 --> 00:45:26,700 sides have sought in a so-called two-stage deal. 853 00:45:26,700 --> 00:45:31,966 But the revenue achieved -- the $1.2 trillion in revenue part of 854 00:45:31,967 --> 00:45:35,667 this proposal would be achieved at the outset. 855 00:45:35,667 --> 00:45:38,467 Then the reform process could go forward. 856 00:45:38,467 --> 00:45:39,800 Major, and then Roger. 857 00:45:39,800 --> 00:45:43,066 The Press: You may accuse me of being unduly mathematical. 858 00:45:43,066 --> 00:45:45,966 I'm not trying to be unduly mathematical. 859 00:45:45,967 --> 00:45:47,600 Mr. Carney: I want to be wowed by your numbers. 860 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:49,799 The Press: No, no, it has nothing to do with numbers, but I asked you 861 00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:51,734 yesterday if there was any task force work. 862 00:45:51,734 --> 00:45:53,033 Obviously, there was a meeting yesterday on 863 00:45:53,033 --> 00:45:55,366 this subject post-Newtown. 864 00:45:55,367 --> 00:46:00,834 So if it's possible to convey to the nation after that meeting 865 00:46:00,834 --> 00:46:04,933 and in the intervening days since, proportionally, 866 00:46:04,934 --> 00:46:10,166 does the President view this as mostly a gun-control issue, 867 00:46:10,166 --> 00:46:14,333 or a 50-50 gun control, mental health, personal responsibility? 868 00:46:14,333 --> 00:46:20,433 And can you give the nation a sense that whatever he proposes, 869 00:46:20,433 --> 00:46:22,934 whenever he proposes it, will be inclusive of all 870 00:46:22,934 --> 00:46:24,767 of those things? 871 00:46:24,767 --> 00:46:28,100 Mr. Carney: Well, I think that's a good question and I appreciate it. 872 00:46:28,100 --> 00:46:31,266 The President believes that there are multiple elements 873 00:46:31,266 --> 00:46:35,834 that need to be addressed that are part of the problem 874 00:46:35,834 --> 00:46:37,265 of gun violence. 875 00:46:37,266 --> 00:46:41,734 And as any expert on this subject I think would tell 876 00:46:41,734 --> 00:46:49,633 you gun laws would not alone solve this problem 877 00:46:49,633 --> 00:46:52,232 and he recognizes that. 878 00:46:52,233 --> 00:46:58,066 He would, however, support and has supported some gun control 879 00:46:58,066 --> 00:47:01,232 legislation like the assault weapons ban, like closure of 880 00:47:01,233 --> 00:47:04,367 the gun show loophole. 881 00:47:04,367 --> 00:47:07,734 What the proportion is, is hard to say, but I think you break it 882 00:47:07,734 --> 00:47:12,266 down to issues of law enforcement, issues of -- and 883 00:47:12,266 --> 00:47:15,300 then law enforcement can mean not just gun legislation, but 884 00:47:15,300 --> 00:47:19,433 other issues of law enforcement, obviously, like background 885 00:47:19,433 --> 00:47:20,433 checks and the like. 886 00:47:20,433 --> 00:47:23,967 Then there's mental health and broader health care issues. 887 00:47:23,967 --> 00:47:25,567 There's education issues. 888 00:47:25,567 --> 00:47:31,600 I think those are three pockets; whether that's 33, 33, 33 is 889 00:47:31,600 --> 00:47:32,866 hard to say. 890 00:47:32,867 --> 00:47:39,133 But it is simply a fact that legislation that addresses 891 00:47:39,133 --> 00:47:42,200 access to certain types of weapons or magazines or how 892 00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:46,399 we perform background checks, while they have merit and the 893 00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:49,967 President supports the ones that I've mentioned, would not alone 894 00:47:49,967 --> 00:47:50,967 address this problem. 895 00:47:50,967 --> 00:47:52,333 What I can't tell you -- to go to the second part of your 896 00:47:52,333 --> 00:47:56,433 question -- is what the rollout of the President's ideas, what 897 00:47:56,433 --> 00:48:01,667 form that will take, whether it will be things of -- pieces of 898 00:48:01,667 --> 00:48:05,600 legislation that exist that he supports and has made that 899 00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:08,433 clear, I have also, or other things that might come up that 900 00:48:08,433 --> 00:48:09,433 he supports. 901 00:48:09,433 --> 00:48:11,533 I think at some point you'll hear from him more broadly on 902 00:48:11,533 --> 00:48:15,165 this issue, but I don't have a timeframe for you on that. 903 00:48:15,166 --> 00:48:22,467 So this is a process that has just begun and includes the 904 00:48:22,467 --> 00:48:24,533 meeting he had yesterday. 905 00:48:24,533 --> 00:48:26,500 But beyond that, I just don't have more for you. 906 00:48:26,500 --> 00:48:29,066 The Press: All right, more mathematics. 907 00:48:29,066 --> 00:48:35,232 Based on briefings here and reaction from the Hill, there 908 00:48:35,233 --> 00:48:38,433 are some differences, but the revenue differences, 909 00:48:38,433 --> 00:48:42,300 which heretofore have been a significant impediment, 910 00:48:42,300 --> 00:48:45,400 are down to $1.2 trillion versus $1 trillion. 911 00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:48,533 And there are a lot of other issues, I acknowledge that. 912 00:48:48,533 --> 00:48:50,799 My question to you is, does this bill, and does the President 913 00:48:50,800 --> 00:48:55,900 believe there is an intrinsic, larger value to resolving this 914 00:48:55,900 --> 00:49:01,500 during this week as the country mourns a larger national tragedy 915 00:49:01,500 --> 00:49:06,066 in providing some evidence that all the rhetoric about 916 00:49:06,066 --> 00:49:08,466 the future of the children and everything else has actual 917 00:49:08,467 --> 00:49:12,133 meaning as related to our fiscal future? 918 00:49:15,066 --> 00:49:19,700 Mr. Carney: I hesitate to make grand pronouncements about the 919 00:49:19,700 --> 00:49:24,933 connection that some of you have made between what happened in 920 00:49:24,934 --> 00:49:28,667 Connecticut and other work that is taking place here. 921 00:49:28,667 --> 00:49:29,900 I do think that the President -- 922 00:49:29,900 --> 00:49:31,100 The Press: But you know and I know -- 923 00:49:31,100 --> 00:49:31,767 Mr. Carney: No, I understand -- 924 00:49:31,767 --> 00:49:33,299 The Press: -- here that it reverberates. 925 00:49:33,300 --> 00:49:34,133 Mr. Carney: It certainly does. 926 00:49:34,133 --> 00:49:42,000 And I think that at its core, tragedies like that at their 927 00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:48,000 core bring us as Americans together in our grief, 928 00:49:48,000 --> 00:49:51,300 and in our resolve, and in our neighborliness. 929 00:49:51,300 --> 00:49:58,967 They remind us of all that we share as opposed to the 930 00:49:58,967 --> 00:50:00,734 differences that we have. 931 00:50:00,734 --> 00:50:09,266 And out of the ashes of a tragedy like that, as the 932 00:50:09,266 --> 00:50:13,200 President I think spoke to in Newtown, we should take heart 933 00:50:13,200 --> 00:50:19,734 from that -- from the spirit of the community there, the spirit 934 00:50:19,734 --> 00:50:22,433 of communities that have been affected elsewhere. 935 00:50:22,433 --> 00:50:27,900 When first responders rush into a situation like that to try to 936 00:50:27,900 --> 00:50:32,000 save lives, nobody is thinking about political differences. 937 00:50:34,400 --> 00:50:39,066 So I think that any reminder of what binds us together is 938 00:50:39,066 --> 00:50:46,767 helpful and useful as we try to do the country's business here. 939 00:50:46,767 --> 00:50:47,667 I think the President -- 940 00:50:47,667 --> 00:50:48,967 The Press: Would you acknowledge it has catalyzed the process? 941 00:50:48,967 --> 00:50:52,433 Mr. Carney: Well, I just don't know because I can't speak to 942 00:50:52,433 --> 00:50:53,600 everyone's motivations. 943 00:50:53,600 --> 00:50:54,600 I think that -- 944 00:50:54,600 --> 00:50:56,866 The Press: Does the President think it's catalyzed the process? 945 00:50:56,867 --> 00:50:59,400 Mr. Carney: Well, he has been committed to this process for a long time. 946 00:50:59,400 --> 00:51:03,967 He has been committed to seeking a broad deficit-reduction deal, 947 00:51:03,967 --> 00:51:07,734 one that protects the middle class, one that achieves balance 948 00:51:07,734 --> 00:51:10,165 and is good for our economy. 949 00:51:10,166 --> 00:51:13,633 It is certainly -- I think the events in Connecticut are a 950 00:51:13,633 --> 00:51:20,366 reminder to him, as he spoke about in Newtown, of what's most 951 00:51:20,367 --> 00:51:24,400 important in our lives, what our greatest responsibilities are. 952 00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:28,700 And if to the extent that that is a motivation to do 953 00:51:28,700 --> 00:51:31,165 more and do better for all of us, I think, 954 00:51:31,166 --> 00:51:33,834 then that's worth recognizing. 955 00:51:33,834 --> 00:51:36,866 Roger, I think I said I'd call on you. 956 00:51:36,867 --> 00:51:39,667 The Press: In the Biden meeting yesterday on guns, did the President give 957 00:51:39,667 --> 00:51:42,200 the Vice President a specific due date for 958 00:51:42,200 --> 00:51:43,966 this report or recommendations? 959 00:51:43,967 --> 00:51:47,700 Mr. Carney: No. And I don't have a further readout of the meeting that 960 00:51:47,700 --> 00:51:49,866 included not just the Vice President, but the secretaries 961 00:51:49,867 --> 00:51:53,200 -- Cabinet Secretaries that I mentioned and some senior staff 962 00:51:53,200 --> 00:51:54,500 here at the White House. 963 00:51:54,500 --> 00:51:56,667 It's the beginning of a process where they're looking for -- we 964 00:51:56,667 --> 00:52:02,299 will look for ways to address this problem in the wake of the 965 00:52:02,300 --> 00:52:03,633 tragedy in Newtown. 966 00:52:03,633 --> 00:52:06,433 The Press: And one other quick follow-up on chained CPI. 967 00:52:06,433 --> 00:52:10,467 You said the most vulnerable would be exempted out. 968 00:52:10,467 --> 00:52:11,967 What do you mean by that? 969 00:52:11,967 --> 00:52:15,066 Mr. Carney: Well, I don't have the technical details for you. 970 00:52:15,066 --> 00:52:21,000 But this is something that can be and has been done before in 971 00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:24,266 an effort to make sure that -- one example, the oldest 972 00:52:24,266 --> 00:52:30,066 of Social Security recipients would be potentially protected 973 00:52:30,066 --> 00:52:33,799 from the impact of a change like this. 974 00:52:33,800 --> 00:52:35,900 But I don't have more details for you on that. 975 00:52:35,900 --> 00:52:38,433 The Press: Jay, to be determined, in other words? 976 00:52:38,433 --> 00:52:41,567 Mr. Carney: Well, there are processes that this has been done in the past 977 00:52:41,567 --> 00:52:42,200 and can be done. 978 00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:44,000 The Press: I guess what threw me was when you said "exempted out." 979 00:52:44,000 --> 00:52:45,467 It means they would be taken off -- 980 00:52:45,467 --> 00:52:47,633 Mr. Carney: Well, I appreciate the question, because it gives me the 981 00:52:47,633 --> 00:52:54,366 opportunity to refine my language -- because I think what 982 00:52:54,367 --> 00:52:58,533 I meant to say is that there would be protections for most 983 00:52:58,533 --> 00:53:02,767 vulnerable populations and perhaps "exempted out" is not 984 00:53:02,767 --> 00:53:04,165 the proper way to describe it. 985 00:53:04,166 --> 00:53:07,834 The Press: Jay, does the President have concerns about the dramatic 986 00:53:07,834 --> 00:53:11,667 increase, the upsurge in weapons sales just obviously based on 987 00:53:11,667 --> 00:53:16,232 the specter of the prospect of new gun control laws? 988 00:53:16,233 --> 00:53:18,200 Mr. Carney: I haven't asked him about that. 989 00:53:18,200 --> 00:53:21,866 I think that's a phenomenon we've seen in the past. 990 00:53:21,867 --> 00:53:24,834 But I haven't got a response from him for you. 991 00:53:24,834 --> 00:53:27,500 The Press: Would he like to see retailers -- as one, at least one already 992 00:53:27,500 --> 00:53:31,333 has -- voluntarily stop selling the type of weapon that was used 993 00:53:31,333 --> 00:53:32,500 in Newtown? 994 00:53:32,500 --> 00:53:34,934 Mr. Carney: I haven't had that discussion with him either. 995 00:53:34,934 --> 00:53:40,433 I know that he supports some legislation that we've already 996 00:53:40,433 --> 00:53:44,734 talked about and is certainly interested in hearing about 997 00:53:44,734 --> 00:53:48,967 other ideas and other possible proposals, mindful of the fact 998 00:53:48,967 --> 00:53:57,934 that gun control legislation alone will not sufficiently 999 00:53:57,934 --> 00:53:59,433 address this problem. 1000 00:53:59,433 --> 00:54:00,133 Thanks very much.